Those who choose to forgo some of their Valentine’s Day celebrations to dedicate themselves more fully to God won’t be sorry for doing so, Kolasch said.

“Sometimes we take repentance really lightly,” Kolasch said. “Ash Wednesday reminds us of the seriousness of sin, our mortality and what God and Jesus have done for us.”

The significance of the ashes used in Christian Ash Wednesday services dates back to the Old Testament times, Kolasch said. “People of Israel would take dust and ashes, and they threw them on their hair. They would tear their clothes as a way of saying ‘God, I am sorry for my sins.’”

“Valentine’s Day is the celebration of love and Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a time of reflection of the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever seen,” Aeschbacher said, referring to teachings of Christ dying on the cross to pay for the sins of mankind.

“So much of life encourages us to turn in and be selfish,” Aeschbacher said. “Love is facing out. That is the great thing about Valentine’s Day and the example of Jesus.”

The calendar message of Valentine’s Day and April Fool’s Day on noteworthy Christian observances couldn’t be more appropriate and timely, said Rev. Kim James, pastor at First United Methodist Church.

“Right now in our society, there’s all these ‘me too’ outings where people are being accused,” James said. “I think there is some repentance that needs to take place. We need to be loving in an appropriate way and treat other people like they are human beings. Of course, Christians should be the first to do that.”

As women are speaking out and being heard, sometimes for the first time, James said she sees a resurrection taking place in the world.

“People who believed them might have thought they were foolish that they were speaking out about something that would have made no difference,” James said of past attitudes about sexual harassment.

Those looking for a place to worship at on Ash Wednesday may want to check out these local churches offering services at the following times Wednesday: